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A University of New South Wales research team in Australia has benchmarked east-west ground-mounted solar arrays against standard single-axis trackers, pv magazine reports. For some degradation pathways, the east-west layout showed rates as much as 40% lower than tracking systems.
The investigation centred on enhanced thermal modelling to forecast module operating temperatures and the degradation tied to them, with special emphasis on the Maverick east-west ground-mounted product from Australian firm 5B, corresponding author Bram Hoex told the publication. The east-west system’s heat transfer coefficients proved similar to those of single-axis trackers, pointing to comparable cooling behaviour, yet its modules run cooler because the plane-of-array irradiance it receives is lower than that of tracking systems.
Maverick is a prefabricated, relocatable ground-mounted product built for swift installation with little on-site labour. Every modular unit carries as many as 90 panels on frames that open in a concertina fashion, with the modules set at a 10-degree tilt. Preconfigured electrical connections, a compact footprint, high power density and modest ground penetration requirements make it suited to sites with constrained usable land or difficult terrain. Because it is modular, it can also be placed on land that was previously underused, including mine waste rock dumps. During 2024 the technology formed part of a 16.9 MW solar project made up of 342 Maverick units at the Jundee gold mine in Western Australia.
According to the researchers, the shallow tilt angles allow more ground coverage and greater energy density per unit of land, and the prefabricated build eases installation. Predicting how such systems will perform, however, demands better thermal models, because module temperature shapes both power output and long-term degradation. Standard models frequently ignore wind direction, mounting configuration, thermal inertia and radiative heat exchange with the sky. The team therefore built a transient thermal model that accounts for sky radiation and checked it against field measurements.
Monitoring data gathered from September 2022 through June 2023 at a 5B Maverick test site close to Bungendore, New South Wales, formed the basis of the analysis. That installation uses JinkoSolar modules rated at 315 W, with thermocouples tracking module temperatures and a nearby weather station logging local conditions. Irradiance, ambient temperature, wind speed, wind direction and electrical output data were collected so the team could develop and validate five thermal models of growing complexity, factoring in wind-dependent heat transfer, radiative exchange with the sky and transient temperature effects. Field measurements were used to calibrate the models, while ERA5 climate data refined longwave radiation estimates.
The team next simulated how Maverick and single-axis tracking systems would perform thermally at Bannerton in Victoria and Clare in Queensland, employing bifacial Longi modules and SMA inverters with differing DC-to-AC ratios for each mounting type. Two degradation mechanisms were evaluated: thermal degradation driven by temperature swings, and photodegradation linked to ultraviolet exposure, temperature and humidity. Expected degradation rates were also charted across Australia to probe the role of regional climate.
Adding radiative heat exchange with the sky and transient temperature effects markedly sharpened simulation accuracy, the analysis found, especially at night and when temperatures changed quickly. Measurements from several modules at the Bungendore site validated the refined model, which performed consistently across differing orientations.
The simulations showed that Maverick modules usually run cooler since their fixed orientation captures less plane-of-array irradiance. Single-axis trackers collect more sunlight and deliver higher energy yields per module, yet that greater irradiance exposure also pushes operating temperatures up. In tracking systems, the combination of hotter operation and more ultraviolet exposure produced greater thermal degradation and photodegradation, with both mechanisms peaking in summer as temperatures and irradiance reached their highest. Simulations spanning Australia showed Maverick systems to be less vulnerable to both mechanisms, and the thermal degradation gap was especially wide in southern and southwestern areas.
Inverter clipping and power curtailment could speed degradation by raising module temperatures, the researchers added. They concluded that the lower degradation rates tied to fixed east-west mounting may make such systems especially appealing for remote installations, where servicing and replacement carry higher costs.
Hoex said the work shows that mounting configuration has a direct effect on module reliability, beyond energy yield and installation costs, and underlines how important accurate module temperature modelling is when forecasting long-term degradation and lifetime energy production. He added that the results offer a framework for building temperature-dependent degradation into system simulations, going beyond the usual fixed annual degradation assumptions, and indicate that low-tilt east-west layouts may bring extra gains from reduced degradation on top of their land-use and deployment-cost advantages.
The results appear in the study Accurate Modeling of Module Temperature for Ground-Mounted PV and Its Impact on Degradation, published in the IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics.
Earlier UNSW work found that single-axis tracking systems suffer more ultraviolet-induced degradation than fixed-tilt installations. The scientists built a global UV irradiance model indicating that trackers in high-irradiance regions can take in as much as 1.5 times the UV radiation of fixed-tilt systems, with degradation rates almost double. That study also stressed how temperature, humidity and atmospheric conditions affect module degradation, especially in tropical and desert settings.
Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Solar Panels market in Australia, covering market size, growth trajectory, demand structure, supply capability, trade flows, pricing, competitive landscape, and forecast to 2035.
The study is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, exporters, investors, procurement teams, advisors, and strategy teams that need a consistent, data-driven view of market dynamics and a transparent analytical definition of the product scope.
This report covers photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which are devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. It encompasses the global market for finished modules, including all major product technologies and form factors designed for a wide range of end-use applications.
The report combines the standard market-statistics backbone with strategic chapters that are useful for commercial planning, sourcing decisions, market entry, competitor monitoring, and portfolio prioritization.
The market is segmented into decision-relevant buckets so that demand drivers, pricing logic, supply constraints, and competitive positions can be compared across the same analytical frame.
The market data is classified and analyzed according to international trade codes, primarily under the Harmonized System (HS) headings for photovoltaic cells and electric generating sets. This ensures consistent tracking of trade flows for assembled solar modules and relevant apparatus across global markets.
Coverage focuses on Australia and includes demand, supply capability where present, trade flows, pricing, competition, and outlook.
The report combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, product-level evidence, and analyst validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to keep market sizing, trade flows, pricing, and forecasts comparable across countries and time periods.
All indicators are mapped to a consistent product definition and reviewed against the segmentation framework used in the Table of Contents.
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Market Size, Growth and Scenario Framing
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Where Demand Comes From and How It Behaves
Supply Footprint and Value Capture
Trade Flows and External Dependence
Price Formation and Revenue Logic
Who Wins and Why
How the Domestic Market Works
Commercial Entry and Scaling Priorities
Where the Best Expansion Logic Sits
Leading Players and Strategic Archetypes
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Australian operation of a major global solar module manufacturer
Supplies its solar modules through an established Australian business
Australian operation of a specialist monocrystalline module manufacturer
Combines module supply with project development activity in Australia
Australian presence of a global cell and module manufacturer
Supplies Qcells modules through its Australian business
Australian solar module manufacturer with production in Adelaide
Australian operation of a solar cell and module manufacturer
Supplies its thin-film module technology to Australian solar projects
Offers its Maxeon and SunPower-branded module products in Australia
Australian market operation of a solar cell and module manufacturer
Supplies solar modules through its Australian business
Australian solar distributor serving installer and trade channels
Australian wholesale distributor focused on the solar installation trade
Australian solar wholesaler supplying installer and trade customers
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